Furniture joint washer



June 1941- J. T.'WHALEN 2,247,265

FURNITURE JOINT WASHER Filed Feb. 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

I. Mk i :r--// (l li i M s I a In; Z

. 7 M ETR v June- 24, 1941i J. T. WHALEN 2,247,265

FURNITUEE JOINT WASHER- Filed Feb. 23, 1940 2 Sheets -Sheeh 2- r I I INVEMTQR I ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1941 artists UNETED STATES PATENT @FEFEQEZ FURNITURE JOINT WASHER John '1. Whalcn, New York, N. Y.

Application February 23, 1940, Serial No. 320,294

2 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in look washers and more particularly to an improved form of washer or shim for taking up the slack at the joint between a bed post and bed rail or similar furniture joints.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a substantially full size perspective View of a washer or shim embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the invention applied to a bed rail hook, the rail and post of the bed being detached;

Fig. 4 is a full View similar to Fig. 3 with parts shown in section, and showing the bed rail and post hooked together;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5 -5 of Fig. 3 showing the washer before it has been seated about the bed rail hook;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 66 of Fig. 4 and showing the washer seated about the hook;

Fig. 7 is a vertical front elevation of a washer embodying the invention in a modified form;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical sections of furniture joints showing the washer of Fig. '7 used on a bolt making the joint;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section of another modification of the invention showing the washer in circular form;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section on line lZ-EZ of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a vertical section through a furniture joint showing a pair of washers shown in Fig. 12 used therewith.

Objects of the invention are to provide a lock washer of the expansion type for use broadly in the joinder of furniture parts or similar joints,

preferably where the joint is attachable and detachable by means of a bolt, hook or the like and where the materials being joined are of a somewhat compressible nature, such as wood. The invention is particularly useful in tightening furniture joints, such as the joint between bed post and rail, which tend to become 1oose and slack through continued use and repeated separations and joinders.

Other objects of the invention are to provide such a washer or shim which can be very rapidly and easily applied, will be invisible in use and permanent in position, always insuring a tight fit and acting progressively to take up more and more slack as same develops in loosening of the joint.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as Well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, the application of the preferred form of the invention to a bed rail and post connection is shown in Sheet 1 of the drawings. In the usual bed construction, the bed rail i is attached to the post 2 by a hook formed of a flat vertical plate 3 which is fitted in a groove i in the end of the rail and held there by transverse pins 5. The projecting edge of the plate is provided with two downwardly extending tongues or hooks 6 and 1 formed integrally of the metal plate. The metal of plate 3 is cut away on a bias to form each of the hooks 6 and l as shown. The conforming surface H) of the bed post 2 is slotted at l l to form a recess for receiving the projecting plate 3 and to aliord room for attachment of the hooks. As shown, the upper and lower hooks 6 and l are adapted to overlie and be suspended upon supporting pins l2 and 13, respectively, said pins being embedded in the post and extending horizontally across the groove l i. It will be noted that the inclined rear faces of the hooks 6 and i provide a camming action, so as to draw the rail tightly to the post when the hook is engaged. It will be understood that the construction hereinabove described is the conventional means for attaching the bed rail and post and constitutes no necessary part of my invention.

The invention provides a novel device for cooperation with the hereinabove described hooks to insure-a tight fit and to overcome the slack and looseness which normally develop in such bed rail and post connections. As embodied, I

provide a generally fiat washer plate it having a centra1 vertical slot l6 adapted to fit about the projecting plate 3 and to lie against the flat end E4 of the bed rail l. The slot it is preferably punched into the plate l5 so as to provide two lips or tongues ll along its vertical edges which, in position, are inclined inwardly toward the flat faces of the plate 3 along the edges of the groove i in the bed rail. These tongues l'i thus act to wedge between the plate 3 and the sides of the groove t, progressively filling the slack which develops and thereby firmly holding the plate 3 from movement which causes squeaking and loose connections. As will appear from Figs. 3 and 5, the washer i5 is placed in position by merely sliding same over the plate 3, While the first closure of the rail and post joint acts to force the tongues ll into the wood and edges of the groove t along the plate 3 to give the tight fit and grip on the plate as described. The ultimate po- I sition of the washer i5 is shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

Additional means are provided for taking up slack in the bed rail and post joint and for insuring a progressively tight fit at all times. As embodied, the washer is provided with a plurality of transverse corrugations or struck-up ridges 20, 2t and 22 near either end of the slot [6. Said corrugations project from the surface of the plate opposite to that having the tongues II, that is, away from the end of the bed rail l and toward the bed post 2. As will be clear from Figs. 3 and 4, the corrugations 2fl22 thus act to take up the slack between the rail and the post and tend to partially seat themselves in the surface H! of the post while at the same time I being partially flattened out by the compression. Thus a relatively great amount of slack may be taken up :between the posts and the rail by the complete flattening out of the corrugations, while ordinarily they will only be partly flattened, thus serving to take up the slack while at the same time tightly embedding themselves in the surface l so as to provide a frictional gripping action thereagainst. The plate i is preferably formed of a fairly resilient metal which tends to give under pressure sufiiciently for the purposes described while being harder than the surfaces which it engages.

Referring now to the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 to 10, same comprises a relatively simple washer 56 designed to cooperate with furniture joints or the like in general. The washer comprises a fiat rectangular plate 50 having a circular aperture 5! adapted to fit about the shank of a bolt 69 or the like. One or more corrugations 52 are provided across the metal or plate 56 at opposite sides of the aperture 5i. Said corrugations are, as shown, parallel to each other so that in compression of the joint, as shown in Fig. 10, the joined pieces of wood or the like, GI and 62, will be somewhat indented by the projecting faces of the corrugations, while at the same time the corrugations themselves will partially flatten out due to the compression of the joint.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 there is shown a circular form of Washer 10 having a central aperture II and parallel horizontal corrugations 12. This circular washer is substantially similar to the rectangular form of Figs. '7 to 10 but in certain types of joints the circular form will be found more suitable.

In Fig. 13 there is shown the use of two washers 10 together about a bolt 69. As shown the washers are faced in opposite directions so that the corrugations or indentations 12 extend in both cases toward the wood surfaces being joined.

It will be apparent also that the forms of washer shown in Figs. '7 and 11 may be utilized as a look washer cooperating directly with a nut. By screwing a nut tightly against the washer the latter will be caused to flex under the washer and between the two adjacent ridges 52 which act 1 as supports or fulcra. The flexing of the washer beneath the pressure of the nut tends to exert a counter-gripping pressure against the nut to hold same in position.

If it is desired to further take up slack or space between said surfaces, the joint may be further tightened by driving one or more spacing rods 15 into the spaces formed by the opposed indentation of the corrugations between the two washers. Such spacing rods are preferably formed of cylindrical pieces of metal such as Wire or steel rods of a wire gauge. It will be obvious that spacer rods may be similarly used in the joints shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 10. That is, the spacer rods may be used when only a single washer is employed, the spacer then being driven into the space between the indentation 2ll22, or 52, or 12, and the opposed wooden face of the furniture member. In such case the spacer rod will itself become partially embedded in the wood, thus serving to lock the joint tighter.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the in- Vention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. A washer for tightening the hook connection between a bed rail and post comprising a generally fiat metal plate slotted to fit about the hook and having compressible corrugations for bearing against the post when the rail hook is attached thereto and forming spaces between the rail and said plate for the insertion of spacing rods.

2. A Washer for tightening the hook connection between a bed rail and post comprising a generally flat metal plate slotted to fit about the hook, tongues being formed along the slot to seat on either side of the hook, and said plate also having compressible corrugations for bearing against the post when the rail hook is attached thereto.

JOHN T. -WHALEN. 

